The Day of Atonement

161 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.

Other Translations of Leviticus 16:1

King James Version

The Day of Atonement

161 And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died;

English Standard Version

The Day of Atonement

161 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died,

The Message

The Day of Atonement

161 After the death of Aaron's two sons - they died when they came before God with strange fire - God spoke to Moses:

New King James Version

The Day of Atonement

161 Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died;

New Living Translation

The Day of Atonement

161 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who died after they entered the Lord 's presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 16:1

Commentary on Leviticus 16:1-14

(Read Leviticus 16:1-14)

Without entering into particulars of the sacrifices on the great day of atonement, we may notice that it was to be a statute for ever, till that dispensation be at an end. As long as we are continually sinning, we continually need the atonement. The law of afflicting our souls for sin, is a statue which will continue in force till we arrive where all tears, even those of repentance, will be wiped from our eyes. The apostle observes it as a proof that the sacrifices could not take away sin, and cleanse the conscience from it, that in them there was a remembrance made of sin every year, upon the day of atonement, Hebrews 10:1,3. The repeating the sacrifices, showed there was in them but a feeble effort toward making atonement; this could be done only by offering up the body of Christ once for all; and that sacrifice needed not to be repeated.

34 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Other Translations of Leviticus 16:34

King James Version

34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.

English Standard Version

34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins." And Moses did as the Lord commanded him.

The Message

34 "This is a perpetual ordinance for you: Once a year atonement is to be made for all the sins of the People of Israel." And Aaron did it, just as God commanded Moses.

New King James Version

34 This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year." And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.

New Living Translation

34 This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year." Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 16:34

Commentary on Leviticus 16:15-34

(Read Leviticus 16:15-34)

Here are typified the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. See the expiation of guilt. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was figured by the two goats. The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins; the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our justification. The atonement is said to be completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat, which was sent away into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and the sending away of the goat represented the free and full remission of their sins. He shall bear upon him all their iniquities. Thus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world, by taking it upon himself, Hebrews 9:7. The high priest was to come out again; but our Lord Jesus ever lives, making intercession, and always appears in the presence of God for us. Here are typified the two great gospel duties of faith and repentance. By faith we put our hands upon the head of the offering; relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his satisfaction, as that which alone is able to atone for our sins, and procure us a pardon. By repentance we afflict our souls; not only fasting for a time from the delights of the body, but inwardly sorrowing for sin, and living a life of self-denial, assuring ourselves, that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. By the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all the glorious liberties of the children of God. Sinner, get the blood of Christ effectually applied to thy soul, or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance. Take this blood of Christ, apply it by faith, and see how it atones with God.